Rail-joint.



Patented Sept. 23, I902.

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(Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFIQE.

JOHN V. ELZEA, OF RANTOUL, KANSAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,475, dated September as, 1902.

Application filed January 9, 1902. Serial No. 89,047. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. ELZEA, a citizen of the United States, residingat Rantoul, in the county of Franklin and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to rail-joints, and aims to materially stiifen and strengthen the joint formed between the ends of adjacent rails, so as to withstand the perpendicular and lateral stress incident to traffic and which is the source of no end of trouble and expense both in the maintenance of rolling-stock and the road.

In accordance with this invention the bars bolted to opposite sides of the web of the rails are thickened intermediate of their ends and widened, so as to come well up under the head of the railand brace the joint perpendicularly and laterally.

The invention will be more particularly referred to hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings hereto attached, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail-joint as seen from the outer side. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 as seen from the inner side. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line X X of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line Y Y of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The bars are placed upon opposite sides of the Web of the rails and are bolted thereto in the ordinary manner by means of bolts 1, passing through openings in the said bars and web of the rails in coincident relation. The bar 2, placed against the inner side of the rails, has its middle portion 3 thickened and inclined upon its outerside from the head of the rail to the foot, so as to form .a brace. The end portions ofthethickened part 3 are upwardly inclined, whereby the base portion obtains an extended bearing upon the foot or base of the rails. The upper portion of the thickened part 3 tapers, so as to come loosely beneath the head of the rails at one side of the web and not interfere with the iiange of the car-wheels, this being essential in order to obviate any jar or undue wear. The bar 4, placed against the outer side of the joint, has its end portions of angle form, so as to overlap the foot of the rails and come against the web. The upper corner of the vertical portion is cut away to provide a seat 5 to receive the outer lower corner of the head of the rails, so as to brace the joint vertically and laterally. The middle portion of the bar 4: is thickened, as shown at 6, and corresponds with the thickened part 3 of the bar 2, the ends of the thickened part 6 tapering, so as to merge into the vertical and horizontal end portions of the bar. The thickened part 6 of the bar 4 is provided with a base portion 7, which curves longitudinally to conform to the sloping end portions of the said thickened part, and a spike-opening is provided centrally of the curved base portion 6 for the reception of a spike employed for securing this part of the bar to a cross-tie of the roadbed.

It is noted that the bars are reinforced midway of their ends and that the joint is braced and stayed vertically and laterally. Hence it is enabled to withstand the usual stress incident to traffic coming thereon in a perpendicular and lateral direction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail-joint, a bar placed against the web of the rails forming the joint and having portion thickened and upwardly sloped, a I curved basal flange apertured to receive a second bar placed against the outer side of fastening, substantially as specified. 10 the web and having its end portions of angle In testimony whereof I aflix my signature formation and its middle portion thickened in presence of two witnesses.

and its upper edge constructed to form a seat JOHN W. ELZEA. for the lower corner of the rails, the thick- Witnesses: ened part of the outer bar having its end por- J 0 GOODWIN,

tions sloping and formed with an outwardly- JNO. S. SPARKS. 

